Chapter 48

"Ginny, do you want to break into the Ministry with me?"

Ginny's eyes widened and then her face broke into a conspiratorial smile.

Ginny knew the trio kept things from her. She accepted it, but it annoyed her to no end. She already had enough baggage with being the youngest Weasley and the only female sibling. Ginny was a powerful and talented witch who always pushed herself to the limit, adamant to prove herself as competent as her brothers. She was still resentful for not being inducted into the Order as soon as the rest of her family and didn't like being left out of the trio's adventures. Not only was she shunted aside, but she had to watch her boyfriend dive headfirst into unknown dangers that Harry couldn't explain.

"What for?" She turned her body to face Hermione, sitting up on her bed cross-legged, brown eyes flashing with excitement.

"I need to access legal records in the Ministry archives. We probably won't be able to get what I need on this break in. This time will likely be more exploratory to see what charms and protections are used, what files are needed. The second visit we'll get what I need."

Ginny pulled her ginger hair forward, braiding it while she considered the information. "Why aren't you taking Harry and Ron?"

Harry and Ron already hated that she kept Order leadership information from them and had been furious about the diadem. She couldn't explain why she needed to get into the archives and what she was using the information for, and didn't want the hassle of fighting with them throughout a mission they didn't understand the purpose of.

"I need someone I can count on who won't ask questions." Harry sometimes talked with Kingsley, and she didn't want this getting back to him either. Ginny didn't even know Kingsley was involved with the Order anymore so there was no danger there.

Ginny's face fell in disappointment. "So you won't tell me what the purpose of these records is?"

"No." Ginny pouted, and Hermione tried to assuage her. "I promise I'll tell you when the war is over."

Ginny wasn't mollified at all, but she asked, "And I'm assuming I can't tell Harry or Ron that we're breaking in? Or anyone else?"

"No."

Ginny's lips quirked upwards. "So it's just us?"

Hermione gave her a small smile, hoping she'd find appeal in the two of them sneaking out together. "Yep."

Ginny stared at her in thought, fingering her long braid. Hermione wondered if being involved in something her older brothers weren't and having her own secret mission would be enough of an incentive to overcome the fact that she couldn't know the mission's purpose.

"Why does no one else know?"

Hermione inhaled and studied Ginny.

"I don't think I'm being told the entire truth." Ginny would appreciate that reasoning, even if it wasn't specific. "I want to get answers."

Ginny's eyebrows rose, and then her jaw set. Hermione smiled, knowing she would agree.

"Alright, when do we go?"

Hermione pulled Harry's invisibility cloak out of her beaded bag. When Ginny's gaze landed on it her lips lifted in a devious grin. She'd never used it before, only heard the stories.

"We could go tonight," Hermione's voice lifted enticingly.

Nearly hypnotized, Ginny walked over, reached out towards the cloak and pulled the fabric up over her hand. She watched as her limb disappeared and reappeared with each slip of the fabric up and down her arm.

"I'll tell Neville we're going on a girls' night out," Ginny said entranced by the fabric and her disappearing/reappearing arm.

"Well," Hermione said with a smirk. "That's not really a lie now, is it?"

Ginny shifted her gaze from the shimmery invisibility cloak to Hermione's eyes and her grin widened.

oooooooooooo

"This is so much better with you under the cloak," Hermione whispered, despite the Silencing Charm she cast. "Harry and Ron would usually start sweating within a few minutes. They had the worst body odor."

After breaking through security undetected, including sneaking past three guards (two sleeping on duty and one playing Wizarding Chess against himself) Ginny and Hermione slipped into the elevator and made their way down to the archives.

"What do you mean 'had'?" Ginny rolled her eyes. "You'd think they'd learn by now to shower regularly."

"One time Ron started passing gas," Hermione continued, and Ginny started laughing. "I kept having to remind him that just because people can't see us doesn't mean they can't smell us."

With a ding, the elevator doors opened, and Mafalda Hopkirk's recorded voice announced that they had reached the archives. It was quiet and the corridor leading to the archive room was dimly lit at night.

Ginny was still sniggering as they walked down the dark, empty hallway. "I'd pity you, but I grew up constantly being trapped in Dutch ovens. I figured out how to cast a Bubblehead charm when I was a first year. It was one of the first bits of magic I learned."

Hermione looked up at Ginny, impressed. "That's not easy for an eleven-year-old. Fairly advanced charm work."

"Youngest of seven siblings, Hermione. Seven."

"True."

The two witches entered the archives, which were not nearly as organized as Hermione hoped. The elation she felt at having been able to sneak into the Ministry so easily quickly crumbled when she saw the seemingly endless rows of scrolls, drawers, tomes, books, boxes and filing cabinets in the large room. Floating parchment airplanes glided around aimlessly, perhaps forgotten memos. Stacks of parchments and books were piled up from the floor and on tables at the ends of the shelves. Some looked like they were ready to careen and fall over from the slightest movement of air.

The whole expanse smelled old and musty. She wondered how often the archives were even consulted. Perhaps some stacks hadn't been moved in decades. Hermione pursed her lips in thought. That might not be a bad thing. The older the documentation, the more likely it would be filed away properly. It would be the newer items located in the piles resembling leaning Towers of Pisa. Or files that were taken out and not placed back in their original space. Considering that she was looking for older records, it could be that this mission wouldn't be so difficult.

Maybe.

Ginny glanced down to see Hermione's disheartened face. "Do you know what you're looking for?"

Hermione surveyed the organized chaos in front of her. "Yes and no."

"Where do we start?" Ginny asked, her voice already carrying a tinge of disappointment.

Hermione tapped her head with her wand and then Ginny's, feeling the familiar cool sensation of a Disillusionment Charm cover her body. With a yank, she pulled down Harry's invisibility cloak and stuffed it in her bag.

"I'm looking for records of pardons. The trial proceedings, the laws, everything having to do with pardons. Preferably post-war but I'll take anything at this point. Copy everything that you find to my empty books, shrink, lighten and put in my bag. And I also want a complete copy of the Articles of the Wizards' Council from 1707."

She could see the faint outline of Ginny's form staring at her. "Who's the criminal?"

Hermione flared her nostrils. "There isn't a criminal, Ginny. I'm only interested in the laws and proceedings."

Ginny didn't stop looking at her. "Who's the criminal, Hermione?" she asked teasingly.

She exhaled loudly. Ginny was sharp. Youngest of seven siblings, indeed. Maybe it was a poor choice to bring her along.

"I'll explain everything after the war, Ginny. I promise."

Being Disillusioned, Hermione couldn't see Ginny clearly, but she thought she detected a smirk in the diffracted planes of her face.

Not good.

Regardless of what Ginny knew, or thought she knew, they had roughly five hours until the earliest Ministry employees started to file in. Although with the invisibility cloak, they could probably stay undetected for quite some time and exit whenever they pleased.

Hermione scanned the messy, confusing aisles in front of her. She had no clue where to start.

"There's a directory over to the left," Ginny noticed.

The two walked over to a gigantic tome, three feet across, resting on a table and Ginny illuminated her wand to start paging through. Dust burst into the air with each page movement, making both of them cough.

"Start with the Articles," Hermione suggested softly, trying to keep her voice down. "That should be fairly straightforward."

Ginny flipped back to the A's while Hermione blew the dust away from them with her wand. Finally, Ginny found the page. They bent over, squinting at the miniscule typeset on the page. "There's been several revisions since 1707," Ginny commented. "Do you also want the revisions?"

"Yes." Hermione peered at the page where it was written and saw four revisions listed. She furrowed her brow in confusion. "It doesn't say where they're stored. How are we supposed to find them?"

Ginny took a step back, put her wand in her mouth, dug her fingers underneath the binding of the tome and lifted it with a grunt. Hermione sighed in relief. There were instructions underneath the gigantic book. Hermione lit her wand, bent over and peered underneath. Ginny's arms shook with the effort of keeping the book raised at an angle.

"Hurry up!" Her words were muffled with the wand in her mouth.

Hermione squinted, trying to see underneath. "Looks like a simple summoning spell with the name of the file and 'Rediro' to return it."

Ginny released the tome and it thumped down loudly onto the table, releasing an extraordinary amount of dust into Hermione's face. She immediately started coughing again. The two glanced around surreptitiously. The noise they made didn't activate any alarms or summon the guards at the Ministry entrance.

"Thanks," Hermione said dryly, waving the dust away.

"Alright, I'm going to try," Ginny pointed her wand in the direction of the aisles. "Accio Articles of the Wizard's Council of 1707!"

They heard the sound of wood sliding against wood, some papers shuffling and the whiz of an object flying through the air. Ginny and Hermione eyed the aisles, not sure from where the articles were coming, or what form they were in. It was dark. Hermione ducked and a thin, hand-bound book nearly clocked Ginny in the head before she caught it.

"Whew!" Ginny exclaimed, handing the book to Hermione. "That wasn't so bad. I'll get the others while you copy this."

"Thanks, Ginny," Hermione replied. She immediately set to replicating the contents into one of the blank books she brought with them, watching with satisfaction as page after page filled with type set ink. After their experience at Durmstrang, and their luck at being able to take the books on Horcruxes, Hermione came prepared to make copies. It didn't take long to replicate the articles and their revisions, and Ginny started flipping through the directory towards the 'P' section while Hermione returned the books and scrolls.

"You went too far," Hermione said after noticing Ginny had arrived at everything having to do with the laws and records of 'Potions.' Ginny flipped back a few pages and then stopped, laughing hysterically. Hermione glanced back worried, but again. No alarms, no guards. There was nothing on the archive floor and they were isolated.

"What's so–" Hermione squinted and saw a very comprehensive list of topics that began with 'penis.'

"Would you like to copy 'Penis Enlargements, Laws Pertaining to the Charms of'?" Ginny asked, still cackling. "The list is quite… long."

Hermione smiled wickedly. "Actually, I think copying the laws regarding penis removal would be more helpful. As you said, youngest of seven siblings."

"If you know the laws, you can figure out the loopholes?" Ginny asked.

"Precisely."

"I like the way your mind works."

"So do Harry and Ron."

"That's because they don't know when you're using it against them."

The two witches sniggered.

"I'm curious what laws they have about vagina spells," Ginny wondered while opening the gigantic book to the 'V' section.

Hermione rolled her eyes. "We don't have time for this."

"Sure we do," Ginny replied without missing a beat, scanning the small print with her index finger. "We have to come back anyway. Possibly several times, you said."

Nothing. Absolutely nothing got past her. Hermione leaned over to see what kind of legislation the Wizengamot would dare pass about vagina magic.

Ginny made an offended squawking sound.

"What?"

"Nothing. There's nothing."

Hermione squinted and leaned over. "That can't be right. There's always legislation about womens' bodies."

Ginny let out an exasperated sigh. "I know what it is. They're too prim and proper to say 'vagina.' Laws and regulations about vaginas are all well and good, the actual word is not. Penis is okay. Vagina?" She blew air out of her lips in derision. "Can't say the name. Like You-Know-Who."

Hermione raised an eyebrow. "You-Know-Hoo-Hah."

"Nice." Ginny grinned approvingly while summoning a quill and ink well from the archivist's desk.

"What are you doing?"

Ginny dipped the quill inside the ink well and began to write in the margin of the massive directory. Hermione watched in alarm before placing a hand on her friend's wrist. "You can't deface books!"

The corner of Ginny's mouth lifted in a deranged smile and, flatly ignoring Hermione, she spelled out the word 'vagina' in the margin with large capital letters.

Hermione snorted in derision. "Feel better now? Smashing that patriarchy?"

Ginny brushed the quill feather against her lips and stared down at her work in thought. Then she leaned over and wrote 'Where are all the vaginas?'.

"This is stupid. And vandalism."

Nonplussed, Ginny wrote, 'I can't find cunts!' and then turned to her with a raised eyebrow. "We're already breaking and entering to commit larceny."

Hermione released a shocked gasp. "It's not larceny! We're putting everything back exactly where we found it! I would never–"

"Rockwurst root?"

Hermione clamped her mouth shut while Ginny wrote 'Where is my pussy?' in all capital letters.

"Wild Hornflower seeds?" Ginny continued, inspecting her work.

"Well, that's different," Hermione explained while Ginny penned, 'Is there a nether region here?' vertically, up the margin. She made the dot of the question mark into a tiny heart.

After completing, 'There are no snatches in this book, what gives?', Ginny continued, "And at least a third of our Portkeys were stolen by Ron and Harry on raids."

Hermione crossed her arms. "Well, that was their–"

"Only because you approved. I know how you three operate. They don't do a sodding thing without you."

Hermione huffed in indignation. "That doesn't mean I approve of defacing–"

She burst out laughing as Ginny finished writing 'Oh my quivering folds!'.

"If your folds actually quivered," she said with a chuckle, "I'd think you inserted one of your brothers' Weasley Wizarding Whizzes up there."

"Up where? It's got a name, you know."

"Quim."

"Twat."

"Beaver."

"Va-jay-jay."

"Lady parts."

"Cootch."

"Punani."

"Bearded clam."

"Ew. Fish lips."

"Gaah!"

The two snickered while Ginny continued to write sentences querying about the location of a certain female body part with a plethora of synonyms. After the margins of the directory were jam packed with her lettering, big and small, she gazed down at her work in satisfaction.

"Happy now?" Hermione asked with a closed lipped smile.

Ginny sighed wistfully. "Shame no one will see it."

She was right. If the dust was anything to go by, the directory hadn't been touched in months at least. And there was no way that the next person would arrive at these two open pages on the off chance someone did consult the directory.

Hermione pointed her wand at the large book and cast a Protean Charm. "Well, if you're going to deface a book, you may as well do it properly." Instantly, everything Ginny had written replicated itself on every single page of the directory.

The two burst into loud guffaws that echoed throughout the archive. They immediately clamped hands over their mouths and blinked back towards the entrance. After a few tense moments where nothing happened and no guard appeared, they relaxed. Hermione wiped tears from her eyes while going back to the section on pardons.

"You're too much, Ginny. Thanks for coming with me."

"I figure with enough time I'll figure out who your criminal is."

She shushed her and continued flipping back to documents having to do with pardons. Hermione scanned the very extensive list and sighed. There was no way she had enough blank books to copy all the laws and trial proceedings. She didn't even know which trial proceedings would be relevant, all that were listed were names.

"Wow, Hermione. Are you going to read all this after they're copied?" Ginny commented, thinking the same thing. "Oh look. They have a treatise written after the Second World War. Didn't you say you wanted post-war pardons specifically?"

Hermione sighed. "The treatise probably won't have the individual proceedings, but it should point me in the right direction to get them. It's a start. Let's copy all the laws first, then the treatise, then we'll start with the names in the treatise…" she groaned. "I guess after that we'll just go in alphabetical order until I fill up all the blank books."

She and Ginny stared blankly at the very long list of topics under 'pardons.'

"How many times do you think we'll need to come back here?" Ginny asked.

Hermione chewed on her lip in thought but was grateful that Ginny had automatically included herself in any future ventures. "I'm not sure. I'll have to get through everything we copy tonight first. That will help me narrow down and prioritize the list."

"Where are you going to keep all this? There isn't enough room at Westchester."

"My parents' house."

"It's a lot to go through."

"Yes."

"It looks incredibly boring."

"I'm sure trial proceedings are fascin–"

"BORing, Hermione. Maybe the first few will be interesting but how many are you planning on reading?"

She sniffed. "Until I get what I need."

"I hope your criminal appreciates what you're doing for him."

Hermione huffed. "There's no–"

"His cock must have superpowers."

"You–"

"Accio Treatise of the Second World War Pardons!"

A thick tome zipped into Ginny's Disillusioned hand and she gave it to Hermione. She didn't need to see Ginny's face to know there was a shit-eating grin there.

"I love knowing something that Harry and Ron don't."

"I don't know what you think you know Ginerva, but I guarantee you it's wrong." Hermione said while copying the treatise.

"Penis," Ginny whispered.

"What?" Hermione choked a laugh and turned towards her friend. Ginny was absolutely nutters. No wonder Harry loved her so much. She'd pull him out of his martyr-complex-induced brooding in half a second. Her vulgar sense of humor was so much more effective than Hermione's pep talks.

"Your turn," Ginny answered.

"To do what?"

"You have to say 'penis' louder than I did. Then I have to say it louder than you, and so on. Person to say it the loudest wins."

"Where did you ever–"

"Youngest of seven siblings, remember?"

"What?" Hermione said with a snort. "Did Percy play that game?"

"You'd be surprised."

"Ugh," Hermione scowled, reading the overview in the treatise. "There were thirty-three wizards and witches that were pardoned after the Second World War. I'm going to have to make a list of the names in the directory to keep track of what I've copied and what I haven't."

"Penis," Ginny said more loudly, while Hermione summoned the relevant parchment scrolls with a snorting laugh. "Normally the game is played in public," Ginny explained, helping Hermione stack the scrolls on the end of the table. "The person to win is usually the one with the least amount of shame. But in this case, we risk an encounter with sleepy security guards. So, there's still an element of danger." She scanned the empty, quiet archive room. "Barely."

"So would Fred or George usually win this game?"

"Neither."

"Ron?"

Ginny scoffed.

"Bill?"

"Nope."

"Charlie?"

"Nuh-uh."

"Percy?" Hermione asked in disbelief.

"You'd be surprised. He only became a snooty suck-up when he made Prefect." Ginny raised her voice. "Penis."

"Penis," Hermione called out, and then giggled, somewhat embarrassed. Her voice echoed against the walls and floors of the archive. It was a good thing there weren't any guards on the floor with the archives. Else they'd be caught for sure. No wonder Tonks was able to steal the Veritaserum stores and copy classified documents without anyone the wiser.

"Penis!" Ginny yelled, and then laughed when her voice echoed back loudly.

"Penis!"

"PENIS!"

"PENIIIIIIIIIIIIIIS!"

ooooooooooooooo

"Like this?"

Hermione turned over her shoulder to look at Draco, sitting in her desk chair wearing his Quidditch uniform. After her trip to the archives with Ginny, Hermione felt as if a load was removed from her shoulders and was much happier. She wasn't dependent on anyone anymore and was going to ensure Draco got that fucking pardon herself.

Kingsley was holding back, and she was going to find out exactly why and what it was.

She eyed Draco in his jersey and leather trousers. Quidditch leathers were the Wizarding world's gift to women. Even better than jeans with the way they hugged his thighs and bum. She had no idea why she didn't make him wear his Quidditch uniform earlier. He had worn them the first time they met in her room, covered in ice cream from Fortescue's.

Draco tilted his head to the side, studying her naked backside. "Take your hair out of the plait."

Hermione dropped her jumper to the floor in order to undo her braid and he smiled widely as her breasts were uncovered. She released her hair, shaking it out so it tumbled down her back, between her shoulder blades. While bending over to pick up the jumper he made a noise halfway between a hum and a growl. Covering her breasts again with the shirt, she stood up and turned back to look at him.

Draco opened his trousers and pulled himself out.

"Can you see?" she asked, worried and clutching the jumper to her breasts protectively. It was hard to keep the smile off of her face, but she did her best to sound terrified.

"No." He smirked and licked his palm before sliding his hand up and down his length, squeezing towards the tip. A gentle ache spread between her thighs at the sight of him touching himself.

"You're smirking," Hermione accused him apprehensively.

"I'm a Malfoy. I smirk."

Draco's bright grey eyes were blazing with heat as he watched her and bit his lip. He was doing something with his thumb on the tip of his cock. She couldn't see exactly what it was, but he shuddered each time he did it.

Ungh. Hermione wanted to do that to him. She wanted to feel him tremble against her body like that.

She turned around to walk towards Draco, but he groaned a protest.

"No. Wait," he panted. "Stay there a minute. You have no idea how many times I wanked to this."

She returned to her original position in front of her closet and held the jumper over her breasts, looking back over her shoulder at him. He shook each time he pumped himself and she rubbed her thighs together in anticipation.

"Will you tie me up this time?" Draco's voice was hoarse, and a damp sheen appeared on his face.

Hermione raised her eyebrows in challenge. "Beg me and I will."

They had flirted about that enough, but she wondered if Draco was serious. Would he actually like that? She tried to picture him restrained, unable to move while she rode him. The idea had appeal. Due to their size and strength differential, he usually dominated.

His lips parted. "Kinky bitch," he grunted with another trembling stroke. Draco flushed and his eyes were nearly feral, raking up and down her figure.

She smiled seductively at him. "You love it."

He sucked his bottom lip into his mouth and bit down with his teeth. He looked like he would eat her. And she wanted him to. Draco fisted himself with another groan and her insides clenched at the sound.

"Cunt, arse or mouth?" His voice cracked.

"All three. But not necessarily in that order." Hermione swiveled her body around and dropped the jumper. "I'll start with the mouth."

His eyes slithered over her naked form as she approached. Batting his hands out of the way so they rested on his thighs, she knelt in between his legs. The agonized moan he released as Hermione swallowed him resonated all the way down to her core.

Next chapter:

more smut (I told you guys, it was non-stop before I added the extra chapters), and for the first time in this war, the Order has no idea what's going on.